Limerick school gets a lick of paint

SHANNON employees have brushed up on their gardening and painting skills by giving Corpus Christi school a new look.

SHANNON employees have brushed up on their gardening and painting skills by giving Corpus Christi school a new look.

Thanks to a unique initiative between GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) based in Shannon, and the Moyross school, 60 of the firm’s employees helped spruce up the school.

And top executives of the multi-national firm also paid a visit to Moyross to see their staff’s handiwork, as they happened to be in the area for a global team meeting.

Having heard the former principal of the school Áine Cremin on the radio, GECAS employee Julie Dickerson persuaded her company to take part in community initiatives there.

Five years on, and the electrical giant has helped resource the school’s literacy programme, a stage, and a kitchen facility.

More than 60 GECAS staff descended on Moyross to paint 600 metres of fencing, and plant over 200 flowers in the school’s garden.

Corpus Christi principal Tiernan O’Neill said the work GECAS had done in the garden makes a real difference to the daily life of a student.

Addressing the staff - who donned purple t-shirts - he said: “The difference your effort makes here is important. A child who might have had a tough night at home will come in and see the shrubs, trees, and the world is beautiful again. It makes such a difference.”

Norm Lewis, president and CEO of GECAS, said he and the fellow executives were impressed with the school’s efforts.

“It’s absolutely terrific. What is fantastic here is the parents are actively involved. It is great how they have taken an interest. We saw students making a boat of all things, so it was fantastic! And the sun shone,” he told the Limerick Chronicle.

Parish Priest, Fr Tony O’Riordan added: “Your efforts here are really appreciated: even making the place beautiful for when they come in. We need partners like you, and we are so glad this partnership has blossomed.”

Each volunteer received a copy of the Frank Prendergast book ‘Moyross - the Story so Far’ as a thank you for their efforts.

You can contact us using the details below:Limerick Leader,54 O'Connell Street,LimerickEmail: news@limerickleader.ieTelephone: 061 214500

This website and its associated newspaper are full participating members of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the Office of the Press Ombudsman. This scheme in addition to defending the freedom of the press, offers readers a quick, fair and free method of dealing with complaints that they may have in relation to articles that appear on our pages. To contact the Office of the Press Ombudsman go to www.pressombudsman.ie or www.presscouncil.ie Limerick Leader provides news, events, and sport features from the Limerick area. For the best up to date information relating to Limerick and the surrounding areas visit us at Limerick Leader regularly or bookmark this page.